Mobile Money Transfers to Launch in Tanzania

Some 4.1 million Vodacom customers in Tanzania will soon be able to use their mobile phones to send money home following the expansion of the Vodafone backed, M-PESA service. Vodacom plans to launch the service at the end of this month.

Vodafone M-PESA was originally developed and deployed by Kenya's Safaricom (in which Vodafone has a 35% stake), where the service has now been running for over one year, with more than 1.6 million active customers. In February 2008, Vodafone launched the service in a second market, Afghanistan in partnership with the Afghani operator Roshan.

"M-PESA, meaning M for mobile and Pesa for money in Swahili, is one of the world's first cellphone-to-cellphone PESA transfer services for people who do not have access to conventional banks," said Vodacom Tanzania managing director Dietlof Mare. "After finalisation of all technical and other requirements, the service should be available to Tanzanians from the 28 April 2008," Mare added.

Vodafone M-PESA is a service that is expected to revolutionise the way Tanzanians manage money. "Of the 21 million Tanzanians over the age of 16, only 1.6 million currently have a bank account, but more than 7.5 million Tanzanians have a cellphone or have access to a cellphone," Mare said.

"Along with neighbouring Kenya, Tanzania is fundamentally a cash-based economy, and this service will provide an instant, effective and secure way for Tanzanians to send, store and receive money, wherever they are in the country. We welcome them to the Vodafone M-PESA community."

Vodafone M-PESA is available only to Vodacom customers, who have to provide their mobile phone number and identification at an M-PESA agent, which will include Vodacom airtime dealers and selected petrol stations, post offices, banks or supermarkets. Both pre-paid and post-paid Vodacom customers will be able to open a Vodafone M-PESA account at no cost.

Team, Let us be critical and understand things how they go; this is just a technology, real a technology in applications; now this also is new inTZ so i dont wonder a person mixing technology and politics;

BRAVOO VODACOM now my Mother will get money easily at home ther e is no Bank

Team, Let us be critical and understand things how they go; this is just a technology, real a technology in applications; now this also is new inTZ so i dont wonder a person mixing technology and politics;

BRAVOO VODACOM now my Mother will get money easily at home ther e is no Bank

The mobile phone company, Zantel, will launch banking services that would enable its customers to send and receive money throughout the country by using their cell phones, on April 14, this year.

In a statement released in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, Zantel Chief Commercial Officer, Justin Coetzee, said the service which would be called ``ZPESA,`` is aimed at providing secure, affordable and convenient money transfer solutions and banking.

``We are proud to be among the first to provide this service in Tanzania. We have completed all technical and regulatory requirements including securing BoT approval and we confirm that the service will be available countrywide from next week,`` said Coetzee.

He said the service would be designed to provide banking services for those who do not have access to traditional banking facilities.

``ZPESA would enable our customers to send, receive and save money by simply using their mobile phones. The service will be available countrywide so that our customers can enjoy the service wherever they are,`` he said.

He said the service was simple and user friendly, requiring Zantel subscribers to visit a ZPESA agent and open an account from which money would be sent to anyone, including those using other networks.

Coetzee explained that to receive money, one is simply required to visit any ZPESA agent with his phone to receive hard cash.

He said that apart from sending and receiving money, the service would enable people to securely save in their virtual ZPESA accounts and avoid the risk of losing their money.

``For example, if you are travelling upcountry and you don\'t want to carry cash, you can just buy your e-units and collect your money when you get to your destination,`` he said.

* SOURCE: Guardian
Tanzania mayb corrupt as hell but these telecommunication companies are really leading the way in development..